Parts that comprise automobile fuel pump modules are typically grounded in order to dissipate any static electricity buildup in the various parts of the fuel pump module that may contact liquid fuel or gaseous fuel fumes. Traditionally, fuel pump modules have various electrically conductive parts that each require a grounding wire to ensure that those parts are grounded since those parts might contact liquid fuel or any surrounding gaseous fumes of the liquid fuel. Typically, the top fuel pump module flange is mounted to the top of a fuel tank while the grounding wires are connected to an appropriate grounding point in order to fully connect conductive parts of the fuel pump module to ground.
A major disadvantage of the current fuel pump module grounding method is that multiple grounding wires, each coming from a component of or around the fuel pump module, are required. Because multiple wires are required, this technique is less efficient in terms of wiring and results in higher costs and longer assembly times. Additionally, with multiple wires, multiple points of wire disconnect may result, which may result in a higher probability that the parts of the fuel pump module will not be grounded at some point during their use.
While current fuel pump modules are suitable for their intended purpose, there is room in the art for improvement. Accordingly, the teachings of the present invention do not suffer from the above disadvantages and therefore, provide a multi-point grounding plate for a fuel pump module that reduces the number of grounding wires necessary to build a conductive fuel pump module by including a grounding plate to the fuel pump module that connects two or more components that each traditionally required a grounding wire. The grounding plate has a grounding wire that connects to a vehicle ground location, thus grounding all parts that contact the grounding plate.